10 Startups from Colorado and Across the U.S. Join CU Denver’s Smart Future Lab Program

From the frustration of navigating pothole-ridden streets to meticulously planning how to keep electric vehicles charged in remote areas, personal experiences have inspired many of the 10 entrepreneurs joining CU Denver’s Smart Futures Lab this month.

Admission into the Smart Futures Lab incubator and accelerator programs is competitive, thanks to the lab’s growing track record of success. In less than two years, the lab has helped 19 startup companies generate more than $4.5 million in investments and sales. Those companies have, in turn, created 22 new jobs and secured six new patents.

“We are seeing those who complete our programs grow their businesses and contribute to our local, national, and international economic ecosystems,” said Dan Griner, Smart Futures Lab director. “CU Denver is an urban research university with outstanding faculty, a great network of industry partners, and an exclusive 5G network, which helps entrepreneurs transform their ideas into reality and fuel economic growth.”

Participants complete the no-cost, six-month Smart Futures Lab programs with the goal of developing and growing their tech companies. Program members have access to the lab’s physical coworking and prototyping space, which features a private 5G network for the research and development of Internet of Things (IoT) technologies. Participants also benefit from a tailored education curriculum and extensive access to network partnerships and resources. 

Additionally, each company is matched with a mentor from the Smart Futures Lab Mentor Network, which includes more than 30 industry leaders with expertise ranging from product development to business operations. The Smart Futures Lab also provides individualized support to each company thanks to weekly sessions with a program manager and a dedicated marketing manager.   

The Smart Futures Lab programs were created in 2023 in partnership with Colorado Smart Cities Alliance and Innosphere Ventures. The programs were made possible thanks to a $2 million grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration. The funds support startups and entrepreneurs in the civic innovation space. The programs are open to new majority tech founders, professionals, and students looking to develop and scale their smart city innovation solutions.  

Meet This Year’s Start-Ups

Incubator:

• Bimefy | Denver, CO
  Founder: Jo Van Oosterwyck & Mahen De Beule

  Bimefy is a cutting-edge SaaS platform that revolutionizes collaboration and progress monitoring in the construction and Building Information Modeling (BIM) industry. Founded in April 2023, Bimefy combines AI and digital twin technologies to streamline workflows, enhance project visibility, and drive efficiency for construction professionals.

• Arterial | Boulder, CO
  Founders: CU Boulder students Wade Turner and Kyle Wandishin

  Arterial is an AI-powered camera system that can be mounted in existing city fleet vehicles to automatically detect and report road hazards, such as potholes, as a part of daily operations. With integrated hazard size and severity analysis, they enable crews ​to proactively and efficiently conduct road maintenance.

• Phoenix Mobility | Denver, CO
  Founder: Rebecca Museilak

  Phoenix Mobility is a full-service privately shared electric bikes fleet provider, designed for multi-family communities, hospitality groups, and municipalities for their residents and members. They handle everything from setting up the bikes and docking stations to providing ongoing maintenance and support, with the goal of reducing single-occupancy car trips by providing affordable and clean micro-mobility options in urban areas.

• Agami Zero, Inc. | Boulder, CO
  Founders: Jafar Makrani and Lyle Antieau

  Agami Zero is accelerating the transition to a hydrogen-powered world by developing cutting-edge hydrogen equipment and infrastructure solutions. Their mission is to lower costs, increase efficiency, and expand market adoption to help industries decarbonize at scale.

• Aeralytic LLC | Denver, CO
  Founders: Giovanni Cordova, Diego Nunez, Gabriel Gurulé, Christopher Dankocsik, and Alex Moazzen

  Aeralytic has developed a next-generation air monitoring solution offering a 10,000x to 100,000x improvement in resolution over traditional systems. Using advanced mobile sensors, the platform identifies emission sources, delivers hyperlocal insights, tracks pollution trends, and enhances predictive modeling. Designed for researchers, policymakers, and communities, Aeralytic provides the high-resolution data needed for informed, data-driven environmental action.

Accelerator:

• Flox | Stockholm, Sweden
  Founders: Sara Nozkova and Tomas Becklin

  Flox transforms global wildlife interactions using autonomous technologies built on generative AI and wildlife science. From railways to airports, fields and public spaces, Flox simplifies wildlife management workflows and helps organizations keep wild animals away from areas where they pose risks to themselves or others.

• Ripple Two | Charleston, S.C.
  Founders: Andrew McMillen, Whit Slagsvol, Ian Bowers, and Aaron Davis

  Ripple Two equips law enforcement and public safety agencies with secure communications and interoperable situational awareness solutions for effective control of dynamic situations.

• ATLAS Traffic Technologies LLC | Denver, CO
  Founders: Nick Borrego, Calvin Tran, Valeri Chichinadze

  ATLAS is creating the world’s first all-in-one collaborative, centralized, and customizable traffic management solution. The platform aims to save lives, get you from Point A to Point B faster, reduce taxpayer costs, and deliver real-time and refined data to help cities optimize traffic flow.

• BizzTech | Round Rock, TX
  Founders: Jason Shuster, Dirk Schmidt, and Rosi Vieira

  BizzTech is a technology company focused on creating immersive digital environments for urban planning and governance through its innovative AI powered Metaverse platform. Their Metaverse platform integrates omniverse tools, IoT, AI, and advanced security. BizzTech’s solutions empower governments and enterprises to visualize, plan, and manage urban spaces in a more connected and responsive way.

• RTI Aquantix | Durham, N.C.
  Founders: Riley Mulhern and Judd Larson

  RTI Aquantix provides a cloud-connected platform for remotely monitoring water filters across large facilities. Its network of sensors and integrated tracking software helps to visualize and optimize maintenance decisions.

These companies will engage with the Smart Futures Lab in-person and remotely, which gives entrepreneurs greater flexibility. Founders are expected to demonstrate their innovations in Denver in August 2025. Those who successfully complete the program will participate in a unique graduation ceremony that gives participants an opportunity to pitch their companies to potential investors.

CU Denver’s Smart Futures Lab is now taking applications for those interested in participating in its accelerator or incubator programs. For more information, click here.

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About the University of Colorado Denver
Millions of moments start at CU Denver, a place where innovation, research, and learning meet in the heart of a global city. We’re the state’s premier public urban research university with more than 100 in-demand, top ranked bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degree programs. We partner with diverse learners—at any stage of their life and career—for transformative educational experiences. Across seven schools and colleges, our leading faculty inspires and works alongside students to solve complex challenges and produce impactful, creative work. As part of the state’s largest university system, CU Denver is a major contributor to the Colorado economy, with 2,000 employees and an annual economic impact of $800 million. To learn more about how CU Denver helps learners meet their moment, visit ucdenver.edu.  

Media contacts:

Dan Griner, Smart Futures, daniel.griner@cudenver.edu
Chelsea Barrett, Colorado Smart Cities Alliance, chelsea@coloradosmart.city